


The Claw

by mistressterably



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 12:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5626864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistressterably/pseuds/mistressterably
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Filling a pic prompt from facebook</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Claw

 

The Doctor made it through the heavy door just barely. Pushing it closed behind him the large grey claws scrabbled around the edge of the door. They clenched around the stone door as the Doctor braced against it, his boot-heels digging into the floor to try and force it closed. The claws continued to push against him and the door. Breathing hard, the Doctor manically rummaged in his jacket for his sonic. Finding it, he quickly set it and zapped the creature’s claws. It was enough to at least shock the creature and get it to step back. Slamming it shut, the Doctor reset the sonic screwdriver and zapped the door handle. A click and it was locked shut. 

Finally he could catch his breath and try to think this through. 

He had landed a short distance away from what he at first thought was just a villa but when he had arrived and entered through a back gate he had quickly realized that he was in a decent sized castle. Exploring he made it to the roof and looked out over a valley at a town spread out in front of the castle. The castle itself had been half built into the hillside. A long cliff face stretched out both sides of the castle. Any chance of an attacker making it to the backside of the castle would mean a steep climb where defenders in the castle could shoot them from the side archer holes. Any other scaling would be so far away but detectable that the defenders would easily be able to mobilize against them.

It was as he continued to explore the castle and the levels of dust and webbing in the corridors had led him to think the place was deserted but that notion was put to rest when he heard the clicking of claws on the stone walls. At first he had waited to meet the creature, not automatically assuming it would wish him harm. The Doctor shook his head, clearing some webbing from his hair as well as reminding himself that he was an idiot. He had of course been wrong and had found himself running down the stone corridors until he’d found the door and closed it between him and his pursuer. 

Stopping for a moment, the Doctor picked a large piece of webbing from his hair which had dangled into his eyes. Shaking his hand, he freed the web from his skin and it fell to the stone floor. One thing he concluded very quickly was that the creature that had been chasing him was not native to this type of environment. So what was it doing here in a stone castle in a rural setting. This creature would be more suited to wide open spaces. probably somewhat marshy too. 

Another mystery to solve, he told himself.

Continuing his exploration but more carefully, the Doctor found himself in a library type room. There were some high windows but they had been covered over at some point and the shelves of codices were layered in dust and webs. A mild thought in the back of his head wondered what was spinning all these webs. As his hands brushed away webs, he took in the titles of the codices. He got to one section and paused. His middle finger ran over the spine of one book. It was larger than the others. His finger moved to the top edge and then he smiled crookedly. Grabbing it, he tilted it out and it came away at an odd angle and then there was a grinding noise as a short doorway opened to the right of the shelf. 

‘Ugh.’ He wrinkled his nose at the smell of the stale air that wafted from the hidden corridor. Bending down he entered the passage. Pulling out his sonic he used the light from it to glance around and he spotted a web covered torch. Wiping it clear, he picked it up and attempted to use the sonic to light it but failed. Patting down his pockets he found a matchbox, opened it and struck a match. With hissing and popping, the torch blazed to life and then dimmed slightly. Grinning, the Doctor held it before him and moved down the passage. It was too short so he had to walk bent over slightly. The torch brushed the ceiling and occasionally there was sizzling and popping noises as things lit up and burned out from the flame.

Peering ahead, the Doctor saw the change in the light and then heard voices. He doused the torch and laid it on the floor. THere was a slit in the wall that he could peer through. Looking through it, he saw a hall laid out. A long table to one side with the remnants of a meal on it. Only two place settings though. 

Then the clicking noise drew his attention to the large set of doors at the far end. The creature that had been chasing him entered the hall, it’s head down as it approached the large chair on the raised dais by the fireplace. 

A heavy-set man sat there, robed in heavy cloth shot through with some glinting gems. Behind him was a woman in equally rich clothing, standing there stolidly. Watching from above, the Doctor’s eyes followed the scene closely. He took in every small detail. Another woman, younger and dressed roughly approached the chair with a goblet. Lifting it to him as she knelt before the heavy man, who must be some sort of lord the Doctor reasoned, she kept her eyes on the floor. He took it from her and took a long drink before raising his hand to backhand her across the face.

With a cry she fell to the side towards the fireplace. The woman behind the chair did nothing. The creature flinched but made no move either. The young woman got to her feet and scampered away, a hand pressed to her reddened cheek.

‘Did you snap the intruders neck?” The lord asked, his tone cold. The creature’s response was a dipping of his head and then a furious shake. The lord’s hand went to his chest, taking hold of a device that hung on a chain around his neck. With a jab of his thumb, the creature let out a howl of pain. ‘Find the intruder! Find him and snap his neck! Bring me his head!’ The lord’s fist thumped loudly on the arm of his chair. ‘If you don’t you will be punished further!’

The Doctor watched, his emotions ran over his face. He was disgusted by this man and how he treated others. As the creature turned to leave the hall the Doctor saw the collar around its neck. That was something that also didn’t belong to this culture. Narrowing his eyes, the Doctor looked at the device hung round the lord’s neck. That was the other piece to it. Probably mean to be used in a different manner but perverted by this lord. 

Time to put things right, he told himself.

Picking up the torch again, he moved away from the spy hole and back the way he came towards the library. Emerging once more, he stood up straight and stretched a moment. First, he had to free the creature. That would have to be by removing or disabling that collar. Once more he moved as quietly through the castle corridors and avoiding anyone. There were no others that he met in the upper levels. The place was disused. It must have been a vibrant place full of people in the past. But not now.

A back stairs beckoned him downward and he went. His hand on the railing as he went as quietly as he could. At the bottom of the stairs, the Doctor froze as a door opened suddenly. The person he almost ran into was the young woman, her cheek quickly bruising darkly. For a long minute they both just stood and stared at one another.

‘Please, shush, don’t scream.’ The Doctor lifted his finger in a gesture of silence.

‘You are in danger, sir!’ The young woman hissed as silently as she could. ‘The Claw will snap you in two if it finds you.’

‘The Claw? Is that what you call it?’ The Doctor asked.

‘The Claw has been guarding the Castle for centuries now!’ The young woman explained. ‘Are you from across the waters?’

‘Yes, the waters. Across the waters. Who is that man in the hall?’

‘Lord Amaro. He’s ruled for ten years. He was raised to the lordship upon the death of his father.’

The Doctor looked as if that answered everything. ‘And I bet that there’s mention that he killed his father to get the job.’

‘Sir!’ The woman looked aghast at the idea. The Doctor thought it was likely then to be true. 

‘WOMAN! Where is the Lord’s drink?’ The voice came from the end of the short corridor that lead to the hall. ‘WOMAN! I’m talking to you!’

‘My lord!’ The young woman jumped, gripping the goblet in her hand and turned to leave the Doctor in the shadows but the man had already started down the corridor towards the young woman, as if to beat her and he caught sight of the Doctor. The steel whisper of a sword drawn from a sheath had the Doctor backing away until he met the stone wall and the point of the sword pressed into the center of his chest.

‘So, you made it past the Claw. But not past me!’ The man looked like the typical strong-man bully. Barrel-chested and meaty arms and legs from constant sword play and practice, his face was a mass of pock-marks and scars. Probably bested by others in the past until he had made his way to the top. ‘Time to meet the Lord Amaro and your fate, trespasser!’ 

‘Now, really, you don’t need to be so rough.’ The Doctor tried to ease the sword away from his chest but the man just pressed it harder against him, slitting through his jacket. ‘Hey there! Don’t be pricking holes in my jacket!’

‘MOVE!’ The man was grabbing the Doctor by the scruff and forcing him to walk ahead of him. ‘And you!’ He shouted at the woman. ‘Get the Lord his drink! And hope he doesn’t have your neck snapped for consorting with the trespasser!’

The Doctor looked back to see the young woman cowering and following as directed. For the moment, he went along with it. He doubted that she could follow him if he were to grab her hand and run. 

The sword point dug into his back a number of times down the short corridor, putting some holes in the back of his jacket. The Doctor sighed at the damage being done to the burgundy fabric. Oh well, he thought. The TARDIS would have to give it a once over after. 

Entering the hall, the Doctor found himself marched to stand before the Lord. His cold eyes bored into the Doctor and the Doctor stood straighter. His gaze just as hard back at the disgusting man. Before the Lord said anything, he was lifting the device around his neck and pressing a button on it. Soon the clicking of the Claw’s feet could be heard approaching the hall. Too curious for his own good, the Doctor turned to watch the creature enter the hall. Up close it was an impressive being. If it weren’t for that damned collar, the Doctor thought to himself, the creature would be beautiful, well proportioned for its natural environment. Here though, was not its natural environment. 

‘Why do you trespass in my lands?’ The Lord barked. His consort stood still behind his chair, smirking at the position the Doctor was in. Captured and apparently helpless. 

‘Well, I was just visiting. Wanted to check out your shop. I love small shops. Small shops are great. I don’t see one though. Where’s your small shop? Or a visitor center! Oh yes! Do you have one of those?’ The Doctor rambled on, his eyes taking in everything.

‘Are you some mad fool?’ The Lord sneered. ‘Snap his neck and dump the body at the borderlands.’

‘No! Wait! Let’s not be hasty!’ The Doctor scampered away from the Claw. ‘I mean, that’s rude! Just going around having your guests’ necks snapped.’

‘You are NOT a guest.’ The Lord lifted the device in his hand to jab at the button. It was the move that the Doctor had waited for. Surging forward he was grabbing the device and ripping it away from the Lord, stopping him from sending the command to the Claw. ‘Sentry! Get him!’ 

The swordsman made to go after the Doctor but the Claw was in the way. The creature raised its head, it’s dark wet eyes blinked rapidly as one large clawed hand gripped the swordsman’s shoulder and threw him backward. Now the Lord’s eyes began to bug out of his head. Things moved rapidly now for everyone in the room.

The young woman, goblet thrown away had retreated to a corner in as small a heap she could make herself.

The swordsman had been thrown clear and lay unconscious against the wall by the large doors.

The Lord stood up from his chair, his finger pointed at the creature in command. ‘Be STILL! I COMMAND YOU!’

His consort gripped the back of his chair tightly, watching and waiting intently at the scene unfolding before her. 

The Doctor, his sonic out of his pocket was running a quick scan on the device. His eyebrows lifted in curiosity at what he was finding out from the scan. ‘This is a control mechanism for a space pod!’ He cried out once he realized what it was for. ‘Where’s your pod?’ He asked the creature but he was ignored. The Doctor’s mouth dropped open as he saw the creature bearing down on the Lord. The Lord was still barking madly at the creature, thinking it was still under his control. Without the modified hand controller at his command, the Lord had nothing to hold over the Claw. And the Claw knew it.

Heavy footfalls spelled the Lord’s doom. Standing tall for the first time in probably decades, the creature towered over the heavy man. The Lord broke out in a sweat, starting to beg the creature. His cries fell on deaf ears. If the creature even had ears, the Doctor thought randomly.

‘No! Wait! You don’t need to do that!’ The Doctor called out, rushing to get between the creature and the Lord but he was too late. The creature had only revenge on its mind. 

One large clawed hand reached out and wrapped around the Lord’s neck. Everyone in the room held their breath and then *SNAP*. The sound of bone cracking and splintering was the only sound in the room. 

The Doctor winced at the sound and then the sight of the Lord’s heavy body dropping limp to the floor. With his attention on the Lord, his consort launched herself at him, grabbing desperately for the control device but the Doctor was quicker, lifting it away from her and out of reach. He scampered back away from her grasping hands. ‘No! Not another one! You don’t need to do that!’ The Doctor called out again but the creature wasn’t about to trade one controller for another and that’s what the Consort represented in that moment. 

Her eyes went wide at the touch of the large claws gripping her neck. She was lifted off her feet and a silent scream on her face as it snapped quickly and she went limp. The claw opened up and she dropped to the floor. Joining her Lord in death. 

The Doctor, a sad look in his eyes, caught the creature's gaze in his own. ‘It’s over. No more.’

The creature nodded its head, a claw held out for the Doctor to hand it the device. He let it drop into the creature’s grasp and then he took his sonic screwdriver in his hand. ‘Here, let me free you of this collar.’ With a touch, the lock that held the collar tight around it’s neck fell to the stone floor. It called out in a victorious tone, its arms stretching out. 

‘Where is your pod, big man? Presuming you’re a man.’ The Doctor smiled up at the creature and soon he was following it from the castle to the far end of the valley. There, lodged in the earth, was a travel pod. Meant for one creature only. Probably for exploration or for quick transit over short distances (relatively speaking, the Doctor thought). ‘Oh! You crashed here!’ A noise of agreement from the creature. ‘Let’s have a look.’ The Doctor entered the pod and found the damages. ‘It’s been here a while.’ Soon, he had panels open and was using his sonic to reconnect wires. Then, suddenly, the pod came to life. Lights appearing all over the panels. 

The creature held out the device and the Doctor took it. A slot on the main panel was where it obviously belonged. Latching it in, the Doctor grinned as it began to glow and then the collar around the creature lit up in response. ‘Ah! Mental directions?’  
The creature nodded again. It placed a large clawed hand lightly on the Doctor’s head. It grumbled and then with a final nod, stepped into the pod. The door fell shut and the Doctor scrambled backwards out of the way. Soon the pod was shaking and then slowly lifting. With a loud bang it broke through the atmosphere and was gone. 

While he had been working on the pod, the young woman had arrived to watch. So it was just him and her there to watch the creature’s departure. ‘Well, I think that’s your problems taken care of.’

‘Yes. The town can return to normal now.’ Her voice was quiet. ‘Stories told of the age of despair arriving on the end of a falling star. That star has now risen and we are free. Thank you, sir.’ The young woman kissed him on his cheek. 

Smiling down on her, the Doctor touched her bruised cheek. ‘Don’t hire on a new lord. Work together as a community. You’ll find you do much better that way.’

‘Words of wisdom, sir. Thank you.’ The young woman, free from the man who had been beating her and controlling her town was turning and quickly making her way back to the castle and the surrounding town. 

With a wide grin, the Doctor dusted off his jacket and then groaned. ‘Look at that!’ He took off his jacket and held it up. The swordsman had poked a fair number of holes in the back. ‘Another jacket ruined. The TARDIS will be setting me down at a seamstress shop at this pace!’ As he began his walk back to the TARDIS, the Doctor finally got to picking the annoying last bits of webbing out of his hair.


End file.
